


Coffee

by Templeton (StAnni)



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Developing Friendships, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 05:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16780852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StAnni/pseuds/Templeton
Summary: Turning to him, she tries “You know we could, like…look out for each other, you know.  I don't know, maybe we could be friends even.”And Arthur looks at her, a surprised frown “We are friends though.”





	Coffee

Ariadne is surprised to find Arthur in the warehouse kitchen. It is long past eleven and usually he leaves around nine. He is making coffee and when he sees her he points to her cup. She nods and goes to stand next to him as he waits for the water to boil.

“I hate instant coffee” he says, plainly – as if he is apologizing to her for not having some fancy French Vanilla Roast or whatever he drinks at home. She shrugs. “I don’t mind it.”

It’s been a difficult day.

Lucy, the new architect, or “co-architect” as Dom introduced her, has ruffled a few feathers – those being of Ariadne specifically and possibly to an extent, Arthur – as he is still around for no apparent reason.

As if he is reading her mind, Arthur looks at her, his face even but cautious (the Arthur Classic edition) “What’s wrong?”   
She gives him a look, not hiding her annoyance “You tell me. He’s your bff.” At that Arthur goes back to focusing on the coffee, his interest not peaked. “I don’t know, he’s nervous about the job. Just ignore it.” And then he offers something that is very rare – personal advice “I find it best just to ignore Lucy.” 

A little relieved to see that she does, in fact, have a potential side here, she takes the coffee from the counter after he pours the water and warms her hands around it. The warehouse gets uninhabitable in the winter. “Were they a thing?” 

She knows that she’s fishing for details at the wrong pond – Arthur is nothing if not unrelentingly reticent. But she’ll have to work with what’s around. He glances at her, unsure “Who?”  
She shrugs, not wanting to look jealous, or pathetic, or psychotic or even mildly interested “Dom and Lucy.”   
As he stirs some milk into his whitening coffee, Arthur gives a smirk that is just a tad too easy – there is something there. But he shakes his head “Definitely not.” 

Irritated at him not spilling she nudges him. “ Yeah?”   
He shakes his head “Not that I am aware of.”  
Brick wall Arthur.

She rolls her eyes and looks away “What are you aware of.”  
She is surprised to hear him chuckle, amused at her frustration with him “What did I do?” 

He’s a good guy, Arthur. He’s a little snippy at times, and she thinks that he must be somewhere very scary on some scale that measures psychopathy but there are times that she can see just a genuine dude– all soft eyed, dimples and boyish charm. 

She doesn’t know the extent of the situation but she ventures, because she just needs to know what the smirk was about “Were Eames and Lucy a thing?” 

He doesn’t answer but quickly deflects, “What’s this obsession with Lucy? his eyes remain averted, - calmly - so much so that she knows her question cut a little close to a touchy subject. She looks away from him. “I don’t like her.” It’s petty and small, but she feels petty and small.  
“Professional or personal dislike?” She shrugs, “Is there a difference?”

He smiles.

It is strange to talk to him about anything other than measurements, levels and tactics. She notices the rubber band around his wrist and in that moment she remembers Eames having flicked a rubber band at Arthur’s back the day before.

Turning to him, she tries “You know we could, like…look out for each other, you know. I don't know, maybe we could be friends even.”  
And Arthur looks at her, a surprised frown “We are friends though.” 

To that she smiles back, maybe they are, maybe the ally that she sorely needs is none other than On Point Arthur. “Yeah, I guess.”

Arthur washes the teaspoon and drop it in the drying rack. “Do you want me to talk to him?” and it is so quiet and sincere that Ariadne feels the stress of the day pool tight around her heart. She shakes her head and offers “Do you want me to talk to him?” 

Arthur smiles and shakes his head, no. “I’m afraid it’s a little more complicated than that.” She doesn’t ask because it’s not an invitation to ask. 

It’s been a difficult day.

She exhales, tipping the cooled coffee into the sink “We’ll be fine.” she tries to convince herself more than Arthur. “Carry on and live, I guess.”  
He agrees, eyes crinkling in a wry smile “Carry on and live.”


End file.
